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(Hey lovely readers! Just a quick update: I've made a few changes to the story,like renaming Ritika to Nayantara-it felt like a better fit for her character and her journey. I've also edited the last chapter, so make sure to check it out! I'm excited for you to continue with me as Nayantara's story unfolds, and I can't wait to hear what you think about the new direction. Thank you for all the support and love! 💖)
My breath was ragged, uneven, as if I couldn't quite catch it. Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the relentless downpour. Each drop felt like an accusation, a reminder that the scene before me was all too real. I stumbled toward the ambulance, my clothes soaked, my body trembling from more than just the cold.
There, lying still in the back, was the body. His body. My legs gave out beneath me, and someone's arms caught me, keeping me upright when I had no strength left to stand. The woman to my left spoke, her voice detached, cold-void of the storm raging inside me. "It was a tragic accident. He didn't survive. There was no chance."
Accident? That's what they think. That's what he wants everyone to believe. But I know the truth. It was murder. I told him not to, but he did it anyway. He took everything from me, and I will never let him get away with it. I collapsed forward, my arms wrapping around the lifeless body in front of me, as the world around me blurred. The rain, the people, the noise-it all faded into a muffled haze.
"Ma'am, what was he to you?" A nurse's voice cut through the fog, her eyes gentle yet probing. I turned to her, feeling the weight of my emotions press down on me, almost suffocating. "I need it for the report, so we can-"
"Girlfriend," I choked out, the word like a blade in my throat. My voice cracked, barely a whisper, as tears filled my eyes again. Every breath I took was agony. I had nothing left. He was my life, and now... now, he was gone. Everything was gone.
And it was my fault. I was the reason. The cause of his death. The guilt burned through me like fire. I didn't deserve to live. No, not after what I had done. Not after this.
Without thinking, I ran. My feet carried me to the top of the nearest building, my heart pounding with a single purpose. This was the end. I didn't stop. I didn't think. I jumped-
And then there was a sickening thud.
My eyes flew open. My chest heaved as I gasped for air, drenched in sweat. I fumbled for the glass on the bedside table, my hands trembling as I poured water and drank. The dream-that dream again.
I glanced over at Rishabh, sleeping. His very presence ignited a blaze of fury in my chest. He was the reason. The reason I lost everything. The reason Abhi was dead.
I stared at him, my nails digging into my palms. I would never forgive him. He was a bastard, and I would make sure he paid for what he had done. I would ruin him so completely that there would be no coming back. No redemption. Not this time.
